1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for packaging articles of roughly equal size in package means therefor and to a method of making such apparatus.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known in the art to provide an apparatus for packaging articles such as sausages or other similar cylindrical food products of roughly equal size in packages therefor and comprising a first conveyor device for the articles with the first conveyor device having a plurality of receptacles each for receiving and supporting an individual one of the articles, a second conveyor device for moving a plurality of packages for the articles, and a transfer device for transferring a predetermined number of the articles from the first conveyor device into an associated package; and, an apparatus of this general type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,523 which utilizes complicated indexing conveyor devices which cooperate with a complex transfer device to package articles in stacked relation in associated packages therefor.
It is also known in the art, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 292,741, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,222 for example, to provide an apparatus which utilizes a plurality of conveyors for arranging articles of roughly equal size in aligned end-to-end relation.
However, the need exists for providing apparatus for packaging articles of roughly equal size in associated packages therefor in a continuous and efficient manner.
However, the apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned patent and application are deficient in that each is comparatively complex, expensive, and basically not capable of packaging articles (such as fresh tender food products) of roughly equal size in associated package means therefor with optimum efficiency yet gently and in a minimum of time.